The pediatric palliative care clinic that we conduct for children in SAT Hospital (part of the Government Medical College in Trivandrum) for which we collaborate with the Departments of Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology, celebrated its second birthday on 14 November 2013.  About 100 children receiving palliative care, the majority having neurological problems like cerebral palsy, got together.

Those of the readers who come from developed countries cannot imagine the extent of the suffering that families are plunged into, when there is a near-total lack of any social support from the health care system which at best prescribes medicines and then forgets about them.

The pediatric palliative care service manned by doctors from the departments of Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology, along with the team from Pallium India tries hard to offer that missing support system. Pallium India offers them symptom control, free medicines and supplies, the services of a physiotherapist and a clinical psychologist, home visits for the bed bound, food kits for the very poor and vocational rehabilitation for many.

The children and parents had a day of reprieve from the grey environment that life has plunged them into. One could feel the presence of God there!